The Hall of Blue Illumination

02/12/2024

In other news, the Noble Set of the Meshqu Plaques have been released on DriveThruRPG!
(link in comments)

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29/11/2024

So look what arrived in the mail just a day ago! The print proofs for Meshqu Plaques - Noble Set. The sixteen plaques will be available as a deck through DriveThruCards, much as we have done with the maps of the Five Empires and the City of Jakalla. Come take a look - once we have carefully examined the proofs, these will be available for you to buy!

14/11/2024

The Tékumel Foundation is pleased to announce the release of the first Blue Room Anthology - Tékumel: Temples & Gods!
The Blue Room Anthologies are reproductions of the "netbook" articles once available through The Blue Room discussion forum, dedicated to the World of Tékumel. Grouped by theme, the Blue Room Anthologies provide easy access to print copies of important sources of information about Tékumel.
Tékumel: Temples & Gods is the first Blue Room Anthology; it is a facsimile reproduction of the netbook articles written about the temples, gods, and theologies of the Empire of the Petal Throne.
Tékumel: Temples & Gods is not intended as a replacement for Mitlanyal, the compendium of all of the temples of Pavar's Pantheon. Rather, it is a precursor to Mitlanyal, and should assist anyone interested in understanding the roles of the gods in the world of Tékumel.
(Purchase link is in the comments)

11/07/2024

After two months and three conventions, I'm back working on my blog. Here is the latest blog post - check it out:

So what did the mimeo Empire of the Petal Throne add to combat? The answer is A LOT!
https://www.sandboxofdoom.com/2024/07/11/tekumel-thursday-14-ept-rules-updates-combat-additions/

29/06/2024

In other news, I completed the first round of editing The Egg of the World with my fantastic editor!

11/05/2024

Something arrived in the mail! It is a proof copy of a new print product - there are a few adjustments which need to be made (but that is to be expected). Coming soon!

10/05/2024

Just how DO you do combat in Empire of the Petal Throne? If you thought it was just like OD&D, you might want to think again! This is the next part of my series of blog posts about issues that need attention for EPT to work better as a means of introducing newcomers to Tékumel.

campaigns · EPT · Tekumel Tékumel Thursday 13: EPT Rules Updates-Combat Sequence May 9, 2024May 10, 2024 Victor Raymond Okay, this blog post has been delayed for a day, due to taking my cat Dorian to the vet.  He’s doing much better now, so I can finish this post.  I have also decided to spli...

02/05/2024

What do you get when you have a priestess who worships Ksarul, an adventurer aligned with Avanthe, and a highly psychic priest of Qon? An adventuring party!
This is my latest blog post in a series about my own Tékumel campaign, and how it has worked out over the seven years we have been playing. Comments welcome over on my blog.

advice · blog · campaigns · EPT · Tekumel Tékumel Thursdays: Alignment in my Tékumel campaign May 2, 2024May 2, 2024 Victor Raymond One of the biggest issues I had to deal with in starting my Tékumel campaign had to do with alignment.  Tékumel’s alignment system is different from the vari...

25/04/2024

Imperial politics, the imminent war with Yán Kór, and relations with Mu'ugalavyá are all part of a Dispatch to the Imperium from early in the original campaign. What can we make of this, and how could it be used in your own campaign?
This is my latest blog post in a series looking at the Dispatches to the Imperium, originally published in The Strategic Review and The Dragon.

advice · blog · campaigns · EPT · Tekumel Tékumel Thursday: Trolls in the Woods April 25, 2024April 25, 2024 Victor Raymond The need to convey news about what was happening elsewhere in the Empire presented a challenge to Prof. Barker in the original campaign – or player-characters were along...

18/04/2024

Empire of the Petal Throne is an amazing design example of early tabletop roleplaying games. But there are some issues that need some work for EPT to work as a marvelous means of introducing Tékumel. The first part in my series of blog posts about this is now available!

advice · campaigns · EPT · Refereeing Tékumel Thursday: EPT Rules Updates Part One April 18, 2024April 18, 2024 Victor Raymond It is worth keeping in mind that Empire of the Petal Throne (EPT) was one of the first roleplaying games published after Original D&D.  The fact that it is well-written...

11/04/2024

I have a new Tékumel blog post about starting my own Tekumel campaign, seven years ago. It also should be easier for readers to comment on the blog post, so let me know what you think.

advice · campaigns · EPT · Refereeing · Tekumel Tékumel Thursday: Starting My Campaign April 11, 2024April 11, 2024 Victor Raymond Tékumel is very well suited to the long-form tabletop roleplaying campaign.  It has cultural, social, and historical depth, it covers a vast area, and has tremend...

08/04/2024

I had a grand time at Horticultural Hall today, as part of a panel for the release of Wisconsin Adventures for D&D 5e, from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Kurt Griesemer was our gracious host, along with Dave Driscoll. I had the honor and privilege of being on a panel with Paul Stormberg and Mike Carr, talking about the 50th anniversary of D&D and the life of Gary Gygax, and his contributions to Lake Geneva. Here are two pictures from the event - I am visible (?) facing away from the camera towards the screen. (Hopefully more later!)

05/04/2024

Finished meeting with my editor for Part 2 of 4 for The Egg of the World. The end of editing is in sight!

04/04/2024

I have a new Tékumel blog post about the Dispatches to the Imperium, in this case the "Haunted Sakbe-Road!" It also should be easier for readers to comment on the blog post, so let me know what you think.

advice · campaigns · EPT · Refereeing · Tekumel Tékumel Thursday: The Haunted Sákbe-Road April 4, 2024April 4, 2024 Victor Raymond This is the first Dispatch to the Petal Throne, and is highly appropriate, since it involves an adventure undertaken by one of Bill Hoyt’s characters, a priest o...

28/03/2024

I have a new Tékumel blog post about my roleplaying events at Gary Con XVI! (with bonus XP for the eagle-eyed reader)

advice · blog · Conventions · EPT · Refereeing · Tekumel Tékumel Thursday: Gary Con XVI March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 Victor Raymond Just got back from Gary Con XVI, so this is about how to run Tékumel convention events and how to attract players for a Tékumel campaign. At Gary Con XVI I ran ...

26/03/2024

The maps from Empire of the Petal Throne - the west and east sides of the Five Empires and the map of Jakalla, the City Half As Old As the World - are now available, in print and digital form. These are referenced in Empire of the Petal Throne and The Tekumel Sourcebook, and can be used for any Tekumel campaign.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2061/Tekumel-Maps-from-Empire-of-the-Petal-Throne
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2062/Jakalla-The-City-Half-as-Old-as-the-World

You can also order print mini-posters of the maps from Swords and Glory! These maps match those from Empire of the Petal Throne and add two map sections to the east.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/451892/Tekumel-Maps-from-Swords--Glory

25/03/2024

I have a new Tekumel blog post - really last Thursday - about Dispatches to the Imperium!

advice · campaigns · EPT · Refereeing · Tekumel Tékumel Thursday: What About All Those Dispatches? March 21, 2024March 13, 2024 Victor Raymond Starting in The Strategic Review, Vol. II, No. 2, published in April 1976, reports of what was happening in Prof. Barker’s campaign began to appear. ...